Donate to Helen's Fundraising Page For over 35 years the name Helen Knowles has been synonymous with Wakefield Hospice, and now in 2024, Helen is setting out to complete one more challenge for the charity which has played such a huge role in her life. It was in April 1990 when the doors to Wakefield Hospice were first opened following a visit from Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Standing amongst the staff on that day was a fundraiser who would go on to raise over £800,000 through completing a range of extreme challenges alongside friends and family over the next three decades. Indeed Helen’s time at Wakefield Hospice began even before the doors were opened to patients or the first brick was laid, starting as a voluntary member of the Lupset Fundraising Group. Helen: “I remember being passed a leaflet advertising the fundraising group and literally being told ‘you need to go to this’ and the rest as they say is history! “The first ever fundraising event we hosted was a Toy Fayre at Lupset WMC, and since day one I have been so proud to represent Wakefield Hospice every single time I get to interact with our incredible local community, it is a true honour.” Beginning her employment with Wakefield Hospice in 1990 within the fundraising team, the now Director of Income Generation first set her sights on completing an extreme challenge at the turn of the millennium alongside then Mayor of Wakefield Norman Hazell. “Norman was a fantastic supporter of Wakefield Hospice, and I was delighted – after a little persuasion – to convince him to take on the challenge of abseiling down the 70ft training tower at Wakefield Fire Station. “Fortunately for Norman he had never had any issues with heights and he really enjoyed the challenge – unfortunately for me I ended up doing it with him, and unlike Norman I have always had a phobia of heights but I am a firm believer that I won’t ask anyone to do something that I wouldn’t do myself! “It was after completing this first challenge that I kind of ‘got the bug’ for challenges – a great experience matched with a great opportunity to raise funds for the most important of causes.” Over the years to follow, Helen went on to take on a variety of incredible challenges, accompanied by a loyal group of friends and family, including Hospice President Lord St Oswald and past-chairman Julian Gill, all to raise funds in aid of local hospice care here in Wakefield. Helen’s challenges have included running the New York Marathon, Tandem Skydiving, trekking to the Base Camp of Everest, cycling through Death Valley in the Nevada Desert, walking through the Sahara Desert, cycling across Rajasthan in India and even completing a Survival themed weekend. “I know there are so many people who would love to do these challenges, many of whom may be receiving hospice care, and it is those people who truly motivate me to get out and do it for them. “I remember when the incredible nurses who founded Wakefield Hospice retired, and they said to me “keep going Helen, do it for us” – these words stick with me through the smallest and greatest of challenges – from the horrendous blisters endured trekking the Sahara and the physical and emotional challenges faced when heading to Everest Base Camp through to the everyday challenges we face at work today. “We have always ensured that every challenge was paid for entirely by those participating – meaning every penny raised would go directly to support patients and families here at Wakefield Hospice.” Last year Helen got in touch with family and friends one more time, and together set the date for their final team challenge on the first weekend of May, taking on Europe’s fastest Zip Line ‘Velocity’, before one final trek, this time up one of our great National Three Peaks, Mount Snowdon. “I’ve been around the globe in aid of Wakefield Hospice and been to the rooftop of the world, but for our final challenge it just felt right that we should be looking closer to home, and compared to India I guess Wales is basically next door. “I’ll be joined by my husband Phil, my two children Hannah and Michael, and once again by my incredible friends who have been such a huge part of these challenges in the past, on what will no doubt be a challenging weekend, both from a physical and probably even more so from an emotional point of view. “For over 35 years Wakefield Hospice has been my life, my children and my grandchildren have never known any difference, my dad passed away here… I cannot put into words what this place means to me. “I’ve spent my entire time here asking people to support Wakefield Hospice, and these challenges are the perfect opportunity for me to step up and show my support to this incredible organisation. “We see patients climbing their own figurative mountains each and every day, and it is raising funds to care for local patients and families which will motivate all of us to climb our own mountain this May. If you would like to support Helen and her team on their Snowdon Challenge, please click the button below or call Wakefield Hospice on 01924 331400. Donate to Helen's Fundraising Challenge